Ted Willis
Encyclopedia
Edward Henry Willis, Baron Willis (13 January 1914 - 22 December 1992), commonly known as Ted Willis, was a British
television
dramatist who was also politically active in support of the Labour Party
.
. He was a charismatic personality and an excellent public speaker. He often spoke at meetings in favour of opening a second front in order to help the Red Army which was bearing the brunt of the Nazi onslaught.
, based in a former chapel near St Pancras
, during the war
. He was best known for writing the television series Dixon of Dock Green
which ran for more than twenty years, and he also wrote nine films. He was Chairman of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain
from 1958 to 1964. Willis created several British
television series such as Virgin of the Secret Service, Hunter's Walk, The Adventures of Black Beauty
, Copper's End, Sergeant Cork
and Mrs Thursday.
, on a Labour Party nomination.
, North London, Ted Willis served in the Royal Fusiliers in World War II
. He married the actress Audrey Hale in 1944 and they had a son and a daughter. He died of a heart attack at his home in Chislehurst
, Kent
in 1992, leaving his widow Audrey (who died in May 2009), daughter Sally, and son John Willis, a BBC
director
.
His granddaughter is producer Beth Willis
, he wrote his book "A Problem For Mother Christmas" Publisher: Victor Gollancz (April 1988) for Beth and her brother Tom, naming the main character Beth Hale (after Beth but using his wife's maiden name).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
dramatist who was also politically active in support of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
Political life
Willis was elected Chairman of the Labour League of Youth as the candidate of the left in 1937. In 1941 he became Secretary General of the Young Communist LeagueYoung Communist League (Britain)
The Young Communist League is the name of both the youth wing of the former Communist Party of Great Britain and the current youth wing of the Communist Party of Britain ; an organisation that sees itself as the successor to the Communist Party of Great Britain.-Original Young Communist League...
. He was a charismatic personality and an excellent public speaker. He often spoke at meetings in favour of opening a second front in order to help the Red Army which was bearing the brunt of the Nazi onslaught.
Career
His passion for drama first manifested in plays he wrote for the Unity TheatreUnity Theatre, London
The Unity Theatre was a theatre club formed in 1936, and initially based in St Judes Hall, Britannia Street, Kings Cross, in 1937 they moved to a former chapel in Goldington Street, near St Pancras, in the London Borough of Camden. Although the theatre was destroyed by fire in 1975 productions...
, based in a former chapel near St Pancras
St Pancras, London
St Pancras is an area of London. For many centuries the name has been used for various officially-designated areas, but now is used informally and rarely having been largely superseded by several other names for overlapping districts.-Ancient parish:...
, during the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was best known for writing the television series Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
which ran for more than twenty years, and he also wrote nine films. He was Chairman of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds .-Activities:...
from 1958 to 1964. Willis created several British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television series such as Virgin of the Secret Service, Hunter's Walk, The Adventures of Black Beauty
The Adventures of Black Beauty
The Adventures of Black Beauty is a British children's television drama series produced by London Weekend Television and shown by ITV in the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1974...
, Copper's End, Sergeant Cork
Sergeant Cork
Sergeant Cork is a British detective television series which first aired between 1963 and 1968 on ATV. It featured a police procedural show which followed the efforts of two police officers and their battle against crime in Victorian London. In all 66 hour-long episodes were aired during the five...
and Mrs Thursday.
Honours and awards
On 23 December 1963 he was awarded a life peerage with the title Baron Willis, of Chislehurst in the County of KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, on a Labour Party nomination.
Films
- The Undefeated 1949
- A Boy, a Girl and a Bike 1949
- The Huggetts Abroad 1949
- The Blue LampThe Blue LampThe Blue Lamp is a British crime film released in early 1950 by Ealing Studios, directed by Basil Dearden and produced by Michael Balcon. It stars Jack Warner as police constable George Dixon, Jimmy Hanley and Dirk Bogarde in an early role...
(original treatment, 1950) - Blueprint for Danger (UK)/The Wallet (US) 1952
- Top of the Form 1953
- Trouble in StoreTrouble in StoreTrouble in Store is a 1953 British comedy film starring Norman Wisdom as a department store clerk in his screen debut. For his performance, Wisdom won a BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer. The film broke box office records at 51 out of the 67 London cinemas in which it played...
1953 - The Large Rope (UK)/The Long Rope (US) 1953
- Burnt Evidence 1954
- Up to His Neck 1954
- One Good Turn 1955
- Woman in a Dressing GownWoman in a Dressing GownWoman in a Dressing Gown is a 1957 British film directed by J. Lee Thompson. Yvonne Mitchell won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival....
1957 Golden Globe winner.
Personal life
Born in Stanley Road, West GreenWest Green, London
West Green is an area of North London in the United Kingdom and part of the London Borough of Haringey. It is an inner-suburban area located 5.7 miles north of Charing Cross....
, North London, Ted Willis served in the Royal Fusiliers in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He married the actress Audrey Hale in 1944 and they had a son and a daughter. He died of a heart attack at his home in Chislehurst
Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in 1992, leaving his widow Audrey (who died in May 2009), daughter Sally, and son John Willis, a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
.
His granddaughter is producer Beth Willis
Beth Willis
Beth Willis may refer to:*Beth Brennan, also Willis, Neighbours character*Beth Willis , British television producer...
, he wrote his book "A Problem For Mother Christmas" Publisher: Victor Gollancz (April 1988) for Beth and her brother Tom, naming the main character Beth Hale (after Beth but using his wife's maiden name).